Travel: Greater London

John Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his Department's most recent estimate is of average city centre to city centre journey times by  (a) road and  (b) rail between London and (i) Manchester, (ii) Sheffield and (iii) Leeds.

Michael Penning: The information requested is as follows:
	 Journeys by Road
	During the 12 month period from September 2008 to August 2009, the estimated average daytime journey times between London city centre and Manchester, Sheffield and Leeds city centres were as follows:
	
		
			  Destination from London (Trafalgar Square)  Average journey time (hours: minutes) 
			 Manchester (Royal Exchange) 4:15 
			 Sheffield (Town Hall) 3:33 
			 Leeds (Shopping Plaza) 4:02 
		
	
	 Journeys by Rail
	Information on actual journey times on the railway network is not held by the Department. However, the most recent typical weekday advertised journey times from London to Manchester, Sheffield and Leeds are as follows:
	
		
			  Journey  Typical weekday advertised journey time (hours: minutes) 
			 London Euston-Manchester Piccadilly 2:09 
			 London St Pancras-Sheffield Station 2:09 
		
	
	It should be noted that the road and rail journey times are not directly comparable. The average road journey times include delayed journeys, whereas the rail journey times provided are advertised journey times and therefore do not account for delayed journeys. Additionally, rail journey times do not incorporate travel time between the city centre and the railway station.